Confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Cumbria County Council reached 1,183 and led to a total of 7,830 lost working days, a new report has revealed.
Across the council during 2021-22 there were also 138 suspected cases, the latter leading to 676 lost working days, according to its annual health, safety and wellbeing report.
There was a further 520 days lost from 32 members of staff reporting long COVID or “post-COVID syndrome” and 982 cases of other infections or viruses including flu, coughs and colds leading to 3,963 lost working days, the report said.
The council — whose staff can have public-facing roles from schools to care homes, child protection and social work — found it to be the equivalent of each full-time employee having a total of 15.4 sick days during the year— which the council said was “high” compared to similar-sized authorities.
Stress and mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and a low mood also impacted on the workforce, at the authority, which is to be abolished next year under local government reorganisation.
The report found: “The council has a high rate of sickness absence with absence rates being a challenge for the council over a number of years despite all of the positive work that has sought to promote workforce health and wellbeing.
“COVID rates have certainly contributed to the further rise in sickness absences levels across the whole council, but the pandemic is not the sole reason for the high overall absences recorded in 2021-22.”
In terms of accidents, the council said “slips, trips and falls” remained the highest type of incident for employees and non-employees.
Incidents involving violence and aggression have also contributed to the figures over recent years, it said.
The Health and Safety Executive requires certain incidents to be reported under RIDDOR — the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations.
The county council reported a total of 37 RIDDOR incidents during 2021-22, with 28 relating to employees.
It represents a rise on the 19 involving employees in 2020-21, which was lower due to the pandemic and schools and services not operating as normal, the report found.
Incidents in schools accounted for a total of 11 RIDDOR incidents which included six injuries resulting in absences of over seven days to school staff, and four “non-employees” being taken directly to hospital.
There was also what was described as a “specified dangerous occurrence,” which the HSE describes as an incident with a “high potential to cause death or serious injury”.
Of schools, the report said: “The number of reported physical assaults and challenging behaviour fell this year accounting for 42 out of the 479 total incidents reported. One incident resulted in a member of staff being absent for over seven days and was therefore RIDDOR reportable.”
Nearly 3,000 “completions” of health and safety e-learning were undertaken in the year with hundreds also taking part in first aid, fire safety, manual handling and health and wellbeing training.
In any event, councillor Celia Tibble, cabinet member for environment (including health and safety), has given a huge thanks to the many employees who had helped others keep people safe across Cumbria.
Councillor Deborah Earl, cabinet member for public health and community services, said it remained committed to a first-class public health service and praised the dedication and professionalism of staff during the pandemic.
